This invention relates to distributing and using electronic messages in an interactive television environment.
Interactive television applications such as program guides are well known. Such guides, which are typically implemented on set-top boxes, allow users to view television program listings on their home televisions. Typical program guides allow users to view information for television programs and channels and audio programs and channels. For example, a program guide may provide information on regular television channels, premium television channels, pay-per-view television channels, and music channels. A variety of display formats are typically supported. For example, program listings may be organized by time, by channel, and by category (sports, children, comedy, movies, etc.).
Other interactive television applications include e-mail readers, web browsers, video-on-demand applications, home banking applications, home shopping applications, etc.
Program guides typically receive program schedule data from a central source. Various data distribution schemes may be used. In one suitable distribution scheme, a global set of program schedule data is transmitted nationwide to numerous cable systems. Each cable system typically has a different channel lineup.
As a result, the global set of program schedule data that is provided by the central source includes data for all cable systems. The global program schedule data may be filtered so that only an appropriate subset of the data is delivered to each subscriber.
The central program guide data source may distribute messages to all subscribers in a particular cable system. Cable operators may also communicate with their subscribers using messages. For example, a cable operator may send a message to a subscriber who has not paid their last bill.
It has not been possible, however, to use existing systems to deliver messages to particular subscribers that are targeted based on criteria such as subscriber-defined program guide settings or the channels to which the subscriber has subscribed.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide targeted messaging systems for television service subscribers in a cable television system, satellite television system, broadcast television system, or the like.